What is the degree of sedimentation?
sedimentation rate may apply to a blood test formally known as the rate of erythrocyte sedimentation (ESR). The sedimentation speed can also refer to the result of such a test. This test has been widely used to screen inflammatory diseases and to monitor the treatment procedure.
erythrocytes are red blood cells. ESR is a procedure that measures how red blood cells quickly become a sediment in the blood serum. To perform the procedure, the blood should be drawn and stored in the tube. The tube must be left at rest and in a vertical position. Finally, red blood cells begin to descend. The sedimentation rate is collected by recording how quickly the red blood cells descend in an hour.
Although it is a relatively simple test, it is usually performed in the laboratory. The sedimentation rate is expressed as millimeters per hour or mm/h. There are measures of sedimentation that are considered normal depending on age and sex. For example, a normal rate for women under 50 is generally 0-20 mM/h and for men under 50 is 0-15 mm/h. These rates tend to be slightly increased with advanced age.
above the normal degree of sedimentation can be an indicator of inflammation. For this reason, these tests were widely used by doctors who suspect conditions such as Reumatica polymyalgia and time arthritis. When the test indicates exactly inflammation, the rule is that the higher the speed, the greater the inflammation that is likely to be present in the body.
, however, is a screening test and is not recommended as a diagnostic tool. There are several reasons. Start by saying that although the degree of sedimentation can indicate inflammation, it cannot determine where the inflammation is or what it causes.
In addition, abnormal sedimentation rate may indicate numerous conditions depending on the amount of scattering. Normal rates could be caused bypodmins such as syphilis, tuberculosis or pregnancy. If measures are drastically higher than o oBesky, can be the causes of systemic infection, multiple myeloma or necrotizing vasucitis. It is also possible that the sedimentation rate will be below normal, in which case the problem could be congestive heart failure, sickle anemia or polycytheme.
drugs can affect the rate of sedimentation. For example, oral contraceptives and vitamin A can increase speed, while aspirin and chinin can reduce it. For these reasons, ESR is usually performed in conjunction with other tests, such as complex metabolic panels and rheumatoid factors.
The sedimentation levels can also be used for monitoring purposes. For example, a person who has increased speed due to inflammation should find speed normalizes when inflammation decreases. Therefore, a stable or decreasing sedimentation rate may be a sign of the effectiveness of the prescribed treatment.